The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-10-08

Hlleu WIN dululdtlOI, anu udoVShoU w VAS
door, saying: "'TIs some o. the boys"
About score of men were scaling the
height before the cabin; and when they
heared the woman, she addressed them IN
Irish: "How goes the causeW
BADLY, missus," one of the foremost re-
piled. 1.-THE game is up, an l daresay the
sojers is at our heels"
The party advanced stragglingly, and en-
tered the house without ceremony. All APP
peared to be of the humber classes-small
farmers, laborers, artisans-and were mis-
erably armed. There were few revolvers
and rifles among them but old muskets,
swords, even scythes tied to stats formed
the bulk of their weapons. Their leader
wore red sash and sword-belt outside
green uniform, and above his hat \ large
| plume waved. He was a handsome sGEt:er
like man, and seemed worthy Of better
command. In the rear, one of their number
was borne on hurdles.
When the men saw me they stopped, and
| questioned the hostess suspiclously. A few
words sufficed to satisfy them, and they
proceeded to make themselves at home. A
| heap of peat that stood beside the hearth
was thrown upon the fire, and bright
| blaze soon danced in the chimney. and lit
up the forms of the men, who, crowded as
| closely as possible, sat or lay around the
| fire. The woman of the house was activity
| itself. She filled large pot with potatoes,
| and set them to cook, afterwards spreading
| on table her little store OF eatabes. Then
she attended to the person VINO was injured.
| He was low-sized, slender lad of fourteen
or ifIeen, who now lay on the only bed Of
| which the cottage boosted. His face was
pale, and his features were distorted in an
hat
to his lips. The lads pain arose from a
| sprained ankle; and when the foot was re-
| lieved from the pressure of the boot and
wrapped in wet f1annels, the boy uttered a
| sigh of relief
The majority were rough, wild lot; but
| was interested by their chief and by this
| boy. The former sat apart, his dark, hand
| some face wrapped in gloom, his hands toy
| ing with the knot of his sash, while no
| looked thoughtfully at the ground. The
boy was apparently Ignorant of the oaths
and iests around him; eye and ear were on
the alers, his glance being fixed on the
window, through which he commanded a
view of the high grounds outside
/ soon found that | was the subject Of
| conversation between two or three of the
party one of them, tall, burly, black
browed ruffian cycling me in no friendly
manner 'Where may you be from,
stranger!" he asked
London" replied briefly.
II told you so,' he said, turning to his
comrades. 81 knew he was Sassenach,
an curse me if he stays under the same
roof as usr'
YOU'RE right, be jabers ~ cried another.
Gwen have no Saxon spies here!''
! must own to having felt uncomfortable,
and said in as conciliatory tone as pos
sible: Gentlemen, if my presence is OBJ
jectionable, l shall leave"
How polite you are" said the first
speaker, with an oath. Lave you go and
tell where we've gone! Not likely. Look
here, boys; suppose we tie him up and
throw him into the pigsty! 1t will be good
enough lodgings for the English baste."
Isprang to my feet, seeing the fellows
about to carry out the proposal; and fear
ing that their violence might proceed to
fatal lengths, snatched up a sword that
one of them had laid aside, and said that
whoever approached me would do so at his
own risk.
The leading ruffian grinned, and quietly
pointing muslSet at me, said: put down
that sword before l say three. One, two
| -'
| 1]OHtI yum NChpOhs oli NoLiS AihS
trumpet-blast from the corner where their
chief sat. Up to that moment he seemed
ignorant of what passed around, but he now
stood erect, his eyes flashing Indignantly
Leave that man alone,n he continued; 1--WE
are not murderers."
80, begorra!' the other replied, 'we're
all captains now, an there's no masther
here" He again pointed his gun at me
which he had for a moment lowered.
You scoundrel," the leader replied
you'll be in the dock soon, and will have
enough to answer for without adding to /,
the blood of an innocent man.
The eyes of all were fixed on my assail
ant. Those who formerly encouraged him
less ruffianly or less daring, fell back OIL
hearing their captains voice; but this one
appeared quite unmoved. The woman o.
the house sat in a corner, her apron thrown
over her head, in order to shut out the
bloody scene that was, she believed, immi
nent. The lad looked on with dilated eyes
his lips parted, and his breathing almos
suspended. l mechanically clutched the
sword, and kept my eyes fastened on the
trigger of the musket which the mar:
finger pressed.
PUT down the sword" he repeated, in {
low, hoarse voice. "One-two"-
closed my eyes and muttered a prayer
For an instant l hesitated whetherto com
ply or to make dash for the door, A lout
report nearly deafened me; there was
, scream; and on opening my eyes, saw m.
assailant dancing about the room, swear
/ ing furiously, and nursing his right hand
from which blood poured. The leader stoot
looking sternly at his wounded follower
and the sight OF a revolver, still smoking
in his hand told me to whom / owed m.
!, life There was not murmer heard, evel
, the ruffian whose murderous designs wer
frustrated, after the first outburst, writhe'
in silence
'My good woman" said the chief calmly
s'perhaps you will be kind enough to Civ
that rascal some old linen and help him I
bandage his hand"
While my hostess was engaged on thi
task, two of The men who had been place
as sentnels outside rushed in. 1.-THE red
coats are commits they cried. There
, cavalry there too, an some o. the Toys ar
: runnn' this way"
In an instant all was wild coz fusion
With a cry of alarm, my would-be mUrd7re
fed, completing the wrapping .: hi
wounded limb while running. He Sa
| followed by several others. "Strair "
| pratiesln cried some OF those who &c
NAMED; and before many seconds, II
, huge pot was taken from the fire, the waite
: drained off, and the half-cooked potatoe